Alabama defense facing rare adversity after roster turnover, title game blowout

The Alabama defense fell apart against a hungry, young Clemson offense. Now, they have to pick up the pieces.

For most of the Nick Saban era at Alabama, defense was his championship-caliber teams’ bread and butter. They allowed the fewest yards per game in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017. That’s without mentioning the other top-five finishes over the past 13 years.

The Crimson Tide finished 16th in yards per game in 2018. Still among the nation’s best, but they last finished this low in 2007 — Saban’s first year on the job — at 33rd. It was also the only year one of his teams failed to make a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.

2018 kept Alabama in the title hunt from start to finish. Their schedule was questionable at times, but shutting out LSU and toppling Georgia in the SEC Championship Game cast that doubt aside — until the National Championship Game arrived, and the defense allowed 44 points; unheard of for Saban’s teams in not just Tuscaloosa, but every school he’s coached at.

Even if it was not the typical Alabama defensive year, they still finished perfect in the regular season and defeated Georgia and Oklahoma in back-to-back games. That included five performances of allowing 14 or fewer points. But, the most important college football game of them all is what matters, and the idea of “What have you done for me lately?” has this dynasty dealing with actual adversity.

The pieces began to crumble, with defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s departure to become the Cleveland Browns defensive line coach days after losing to Clemson. It startlingly left just one assistant coach from the 2017 season, as other programs have scooped up Saban’s coaches for higher-profile jobs.

Now, they will entrust Pete Golding as Lupoi’s replacement. He started as the inside linebackers coach in 2018 and handled a group that included returning leading tackler, Dylan Moses.

Golding has pressure, however, after the title game’s defensive embarrassment. Alabama always recruits well for potential losses to the NFL Draft and graduation. They even have players to replace the replacements players if necessary. This year just feels different, and the 2019 defensive group won’t mirror what miserably walked off the Levi’s Stadium field in January.

In one fell swoop, Quinnen Williams, Saivion Smith, Deionte Thompson, Mack Wilson, Isaiah Buggs and Christian Miller all left for the NFL Draft. Miller and Buggs were seniors. It’s an astounding 26.5 of their 45 sacks from last season that will disappear, including their top three leaders in this category (Buggs, Williamson and Miller). They must also replace Thompson, the leader of Alabama’s defensive backfield.

As they leave, it starts with elevating players. Moses is still there, which is the biggest win for this defense, but maybe just for one more year as a junior with draft stock. Anfernee Jennings is also back as the No. 2 linebacker, but his rise may mean Markail Benton’s role rises.

Xavier McKinney is not a disappointing replacement for Thompson as the key secondary cog, either, after 74 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, 10 passes defended and two forced fumbles. Other losses won’t be noticeable, because Shyheim Carter and Patrick Surtain II are back, but depth behind them will be a spring storyline, as the secondary was torched in the title game.

After that, questions arise, especially on the defensive line. All-American Williams is gone and Buggs should find his way onto an NFL team.

Raekwon Davis headlines this group, entering the fall as a senior. His junior year was down, however, after accumulating fewer tackles, tackles for a loss and sacks, which he had just 1.5 of in 2018. Even that made him an All-American, so defensive end is fine, but it can’t be just him.

Lesser known names need to step up, starting with the returning LaBryan Ray, who had 39 tackles and 2.5 sacks in limited duty and was a five-star recruit in 2017, per 247Sports. He projects as a pass-rushing defensive end and could be an improvement over Buggs down the road, but this isn’t the guy to replace the likely top-10 pick, Williams, and he’ll have to work against the returning Davis for playing time.

Instead, that belongs to Phidarian Mathis, a redshirt sophomore for the 2019 season that mustered 18 tackles in spot duty. 247Sports had him as a four-star recruit in the same 2017 class.

After that, Alabama must restock the depth chart with incoming freshman and other inexperienced players who, while arriving as flashy recruits, have much to prove in 2019, to ensure this transition is smooth and brings Saban into the title picture, again.

Stephon Wynn Jr. and Christian Barmore will return as sophomores on the defensive line and provide stability for the next two years. Look for stud incoming freshman, Antonio Alfano, to have a role, as well, and be groomed as Davis’ replacement for 2020. The same with Justin Eboigbe and Kevin Harris. So Saban’s always-vaunted defensive line will survive its exodus and produce the next group of talent to hit the pros.

Alabama has the spring and summer to pick up the pieces and evaluate what went wrong and what’s in place. They have never entered a season trying to follow up an event like the 2019 CFP National Championship Game, so there are questions to answer for how Saban’s strong suit returns and if it can ease the unsatisfying memories.